1988 Nissan PICKUP: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
162,700 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 9 complaints (44.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 11.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 4 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
| Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 4; Power Train: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 1; Tires: 1; Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1995: 3; 1996: 1; 1997: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10221317 · 2008-03-15 (March 15, 2008)
THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL MECHANISM OF MY 1988, 4 CYCLE., AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NISSAN PKUP TRUCK. THE STARTER AND THE FLY WHEEL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND IT HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. THIS WILL MAKE THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND IT IS CLEARLY SOME SORT OF DEFECT. I AM REALLY UPSET BECAUSE, IT HAS COST ME A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIRS OVER TIME. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW BACK IN 1988, AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT APPROX. 5000 MILES, AND THE DEALER DID NOTHING TO HE…
Owner-reported narrative. 137,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10221317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10322691 · 2010-03-29 (March 29, 2010)
TIRE FAILLURE, SIDEWALL SEPARATION DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF FAILED TIRE THAT CAN BE EMAILED IF REQUESTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 187,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322691 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 502205 · 1996-03-02 (March 2, 1996)
WINDOWS IN DOOR INOPERATIVE, WINDOWS WILL NOT STAY IN TRACKS. *DSH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502205 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 756037 · 2001-12-26 (December 26, 2001)
CONTACTED LOCAL NISSAN DEALER (CONNELL [phone removed]) 11/21/2001 FOR REPAIR, NO REPAIR AS OF 12/26/2001. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELTS ARE BROKEN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 756037 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 786470 · 2002-10-01 (October 1, 2002)
SPEEDOMETER POINTER CURVED MAKING THE SPEEDOMETER TO BE INOPERATIVE, APPARENTLY AS A RESULT OF TEMPERATURE IN THE STATE WHERE THE CONSUMER LIVES.*NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 786470 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 812817 · 1997-06-05 (June 5, 1997)
PASSIVE RESTRAINTS: SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS BROKEN. RECEIVED NOTICE FROM NISSAN ,CAMPAIGN #95-V-103-002 IN 1993. CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT, DIDN'T HAVE PART. WORK HAS NOT BEEN DONE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE PART WHEN HE CALLED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 812817 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 960860 · 1995-03-01 (March 1, 1995)
DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE, THEREFORE SEATBELT INOPERATIVE. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960860 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 964987 · 1995-05-05 (May 5, 1995)
SEAT BEAT BUCKLE REPLACED DUE TO BUCKLE LOCKING AND NOT UNLATCHING WHEN RELEASE BUTTON IS PUSHED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 964987 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
9 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 975639THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLES COME LOOSE WHEN LOCKED . TT CONSUMER STATES DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER LOCK, PASSENGER SIDE SOMETIMES COMES UNLOCKED WHILE TRAVELING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN. *SLC | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 444.4%ODI 502205WINDOWS IN DOOR INOPERATIVE, WINDOWS WILL NOT STAY IN TRACKS. *DSH | 753.8%ODI 704745THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT SEEMS TO ENGAGE BUT DOESN'T, AND THEN POPS LOOSE LATER. I THINK IT PERFORMS BETTER NOW THAN ORIGINAL DID BEFORE REPLACEMENT, BUT MAYBE I AM JUST MORE CAREFUL ABOUT TESTING IT. IN ANY CASE, IT STILL REPEATEDLY FAILS TO LATCH PROPERLY. *AK | 321.4%ODI 806121THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH, RECEIVED RECALL AFTER HAVING REPLACED BUCKLE . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK |
| Tires | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 748509TIRE DEFECT. TIRE HAS BUDGE ABOUT 1.0-INCH IN LENGTH 0.5-INCH IN WIDTH. PIRELLI DISTRIBUTOR "NTB" NATIONAL TIRE AND BATTERY STATES TIRE IS NOT DEFECTIVE. NEED ASSISTANCE WITH DETERMINING NATURE OF BUDGE IN TIRE WHICH I SUSPECT AS A DEFECTIVE. THESE ARE 45,000 WARRANTY TIRES THAT ARE 2-YEARS OLD WITH 16,334 MILES ON THEM.*AK (TIRESIZE: L2357515C) | 111.1%ODI 742420SEPARATION AT SIDEWALL AND TREAD ON ALL 4 TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 30X95R15LT)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 30X95R15LT ) | 240.0%ODI 10448304TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 NISSAN PICKUP. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK TIRES, SIZE 27X8.5R14 (N/A). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CAUTIOUSLY WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE DOT NUMBER WAS VDK64RA488. THE VIN AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. | 111.1%ODI 10322691 · 187,700 miTIRE FAILLURE, SIDEWALL SEPARATION DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF FAILED TIRE THAT CAN BE EMAILED IF REQUESTED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 756037CONTACTED LOCAL NISSAN DEALER (CONNELL [phone removed]) 11/21/2001 FOR REPAIR, NO REPAIR AS OF 12/26/2001. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELTS ARE BROKEN.*AK | 17.7%ODI 742386ON 5/24/1998 MY 16 YR OLD SON WAS DRIVING TO CHURCH AT 9:30AM THAT SUNDAY MORNING WHEN HE WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE, HIS RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OFF THE ROAD, HE OVER CORRECTED WHEN TRYING TO BRING TRUCK TIRE BACK ON ROAD, TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL, FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND MY SON (GREG DYAL) WAS THROWN FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHEN HIS SEAT BELT HE WAS WEARING AT THE TIME CAME LOOSE. I RETAINED AN ATTORNEY AFTER I CHECKED WITH NISSAN DEALERSHIP & FOUND OUT THERE WERE 2 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SEATBELTS. (LISTED IN YOUR REPORT ON 10/20/1998… | 214.3%ODI 518603SEAT BELTS FAILED IN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURIES AND ONE FATALITY. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 961646BOTH FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SPRING WEAK PURCHASE USED TRUCK ONLY HAD IT THREE MONTH. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 982739THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT BACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK | 17.1%ODI 517204FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 816180WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE JUST CUTS OFF. HAVE TO PULL ON THE SHOULDER, AND THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE WILL START RUNNING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE DOES THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 214.3% |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 828736WHILE TRAVELLING AT 70MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SLIDE, IMPACT, AND FLIPPED OVER. SHOULDER BELT CAME LOOSE, AND DRIVER WAS KILLED WHEN THROWN OUT OF THE VEHICLE. FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE DRIVER PULLING AGAINST THE SEAT BELT, THE DOOR CAME OPEN AND DRIVER FELL OUT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. ALSO, THERE WAS ONE MINOR INJURY. *AK | 214.3%ODI 964596DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE FAILED TO PROPER RETAIN OCCUPANTS. SEATBELTS REPLACED. TT |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 786470SPEEDOMETER POINTER CURVED MAKING THE SPEEDOMETER TO BE INOPERATIVE, APPARENTLY AS A RESULT OF TEMPERATURE IN THE STATE WHERE THE CONSUMER LIVES.*NLM | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.1%ODI 739974I AM REPORTING A DEFECT WITH THE SPEEDOMETER OF MY 1990 NISSAN PICKUP. I FOUND THAT DUE TO AGE THAT THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DROOPS DOWN TOWARD THE FACE /DIAL OF THE SPEEDOMETER AND STARTED RUBBING. IT MADE CONTACT AND STOPPED INDICATING AT APPROX. 45 MPH THE FIRST TIME. THIS GOT MY SON A TICKET. I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T SPEEDING UNTIL I GOT A TICKET. THIS TIME THE NEEDLE WAS STUCK AT APPROX. 37 MPH AND WOULDN'T GO ANY HIGHER. I HAVE CUT THE END OF THE NEEDLE OFF TWICE SINCE THEN AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS GETTING READY TO RUB … |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 10221317 · 137,700 miTHERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL MECHANISM OF MY 1988, 4 CYCLE., AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NISSAN PKUP TRUCK. THE STARTER AND THE FLY WHEEL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND IT HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. THIS WILL MAKE THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND IT IS CLEARLY SOME SORT OF DEFECT. I AM REALLY UPSET BECAUSE, IT HAS COST ME A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIRS OVER TIME. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW BACK IN 1988, AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT APPROX. 5000 MILES, AND THE DEALER DID NOTHING TO HE… | 17.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Too few reports for a range | 137,700 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10221317 · 137,700 miTHERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL MECHANISM OF MY 1988, 4 CYCLE., AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NISSAN PKUP TRUCK. THE STARTER AND THE FLY WHEEL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, AND IT HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. THIS WILL MAKE THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND IT IS CLEARLY SOME SORT OF DEFECT. I AM REALLY UPSET BECAUSE, IT HAS COST ME A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIRS OVER TIME. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW BACK IN 1988, AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT APPROX. 5000 MILES, AND THE DEALER DID NOTHING TO HE… |
| Tires | Too few reports for a range | 187,700 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10322691 · 187,700 miTIRE FAILLURE, SIDEWALL SEPARATION DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF FAILED TIRE THAT CAN BE EMAILED IF REQUESTED. |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1989: 0 complaints · 1990: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Power Train | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Seat Belts | Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | Tires | Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 502205WINDOWS IN DOOR INOPERATIVE, WINDOWS WILL NOT STAY IN TRACKS. *DSH |
| Power Train | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear | 1ODI 502205WINDOWS IN DOOR INOPERATIVE, WINDOWS WILL NOT STAY IN TRACKS. *DSH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.